The Exodus Strategy Read online

  The Exodus Strategy

  Barbara Winkes

  Copyright © 2017 by Barbara Winkes

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales are purely coincidental.

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Chapter One

  “It’s about time. It’s long overdue.”

  Kerry tore her gaze away from the beautiful sight of the city lights, the panoramic view from the 35th story penthouse. No matter how often she came here, the effect was the same, even now, with the cloudy sky and the rain coming down hard. She watched Hilary pour their wine, glasses three quarter full, which made her wonder if her friend had bad news beyond the obvious.

  “What do you mean?”

  As far as Kerry was concerned, the glass was more than half full. She had finally arrived at a point in her life where the pieces were coming together, on the job, and at home. At the moment, she had little interest in politics though it made her feel a bit guilty, and she was aware Hilary didn’t have the luxury of shutting politics out. Come to think of it…Neither had Kerry. Politics defined the boundaries of her dream, and last November’s election results were reason enough for both of them to be alarmed.

  Hilary gave her a rueful smile as she sat across from Kerry. “I’m sorry. We haven’t seen each other in months, and I’m springing this on you.”

  Kerry still had no idea what “this” was, but she could imagine that there had been a lot of analysis and soul-searching taking place in the Greene house.

  “I’m good,” she said. “I’m glad you could make time tonight.”

  Hilary laughed. “Actually, I shouldn’t, but I cleared my calendar. Clean slate. Aside from that, I really had to talk to you.”

  “I missed you too,” Kerry admitted. “Truth be told, I also missed this sight, and our dinners.” The second part was meant to be a joke—mostly. Hilary Greene was the only one of her friends where a girls’ sleepover meant a five-star gourmet menu and a night in an apartment that put most luxury hotels to shame. At least, Kerry trusted Hilary’s assessment in this case, since she hadn’t seen that many luxury hotels from the inside. Hilary, on the other hand, had an unmistakable sense for style. She and her husband Marc had fully furnished this apartment for the needs of friends or business partners who preferred to stay in the city rather than drive out to their mansion. It was where Hilary and Kerry met for their get-togethers. Hilary had offered that Kerry and Vivien could come for a little getaway on their own, but they had both been so busy lately they didn’t even have time to think about it. Dreams took a lot of work.

  “Don’t I know it…and I need you in a somewhat mellow mood for what I have to tell you. This set-up always works.”

  “You know me so well.” Kerry shook her head, amused.

  “That’s true, I do know you, and I know that with what just happened, you can kiss goodbye most of the hopes you had for your life here.”

  “All right. Thanks so much.” Hilary had never been one to sugarcoat the truth. At this moment, Kerry almost resented her for her frank words. She and Vivien would be fine. They didn’t bother anyone, and all they asked for in return was to be left alone. Sounded easy in theory, didn’t it?

  “Well, Marc and I aren’t too pleased either.”

  “I can imagine. I still have hope for the Supreme Court to make the right decision.” Chad Miller being elected Governor was a shock to all of them. He’d been trailing his opponent from day one, but an overall low turnout had turned the tables in his favor. It had been a few highly emotional days, at home, in their workplaces. Vivien had cried, angry, frustrated, worried about the future. Kerry didn’t know how to console her.

  Hilary and Marc had invested in Miller’s opponent, but in the end, it hadn’t been enough. Kerry didn’t even have a concept of the sums involved. Miller had profited from lots of out-of state money.

  The Greenes were highly competitive people, and they had the means to position themselves among the bigger players, in a way that had already made some conservatives rethink the wisdom of unlimited campaign donations. They were big on transparency too—they’d never be caught with their pants down, fiscally or otherwise. Their money had made a difference in some races already, but sadly, not here at home.

  “What can we do, other than finish this excellent wine, maybe another one, and go on with our lives?”

  All her life, Kerry had been pragmatic, the boring one, irresistibly attracted to people who were idealistic and passionate beyond the reasonable. Hilary, her best friend, and Vivien, the love of her life, both were like that.

  Maybe that wasn’t an entirely fair assessment. Each of them worked hard, every day, to make a difference in the real world, but as far as Kerry was concerned, the odds were stacked too high against them. She got proof of that in her own job every day.

  “Doesn’t it make you want to scream? If he gets his will, and that has gotten a lot easier for him since yesterday, you’ll soon arrest pregnant women, and doctors, instead of murderers. You won’t even have time to go after murderers.”

  Vivien had said something similar. Kerry wasn’t sure she was ready to believe in this dark, dystopian future.

  “I know he said all these things, but I’m sure most of it was for the vote. It’s unrealistic.”

  “You think? He has the majority. Doesn’t it bother you this man says with a grin on his face he believes you should never be able to get married? Face it, Kerry, you’re a danger to society.” Hilary made a face. “Come to think of it, I’m sure he believes my marriage is just as terrible. Some of his folks think that segregation wasn’t all bad.”

  “Low blow,” Kerry said, reaching for her glass to take a deep sip. “I know he’s a jerk, but frankly, I had hoped we could talk about something else. I have some good news.”

  “Please, go ahead. There can never be enough of that.”

  “We’ve put a hold on future renovation projects at the moment, because we really need to save some money,” Kerry explained. She could tell by the look her friend gave her that Hilary didn’t quite understand.

  “That’s good news?”

  “Oh yes, it is. Because we’re saving money for IVF treatments.”

  Hilary’s eyes widened before she jumped to her feet to embrace Kerry.

  “Oh my God, that’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you. You’re doing it right, start something when you feel it’s the right time, and not wait for someone else to decide it for you. When are you going to start?”

  “Well, Vivien is.”

  Hilary chuckled. “I figured that much. I don’t think anyone could pull you away from your job long enough to have a baby.”

  “Hey,” Kerry protested. “I’m not that bad.”

  “I’ll leave it to Vivien to be the authority on that. Wow. You guys are going to be parents.”

  “It will take some more time.” Kerry felt the need to dampen her friend’s enthusiasm some. “I will take time off to accompany her too.”

  “Of course you will. This is amazing.” Hilary picked up the bottle once more. How had their glasses become empty so soon? “There’s champagne in the fridge. You and Vivien must make time to have dinner with me and Marc soon. We’ll have a lot to discuss.”

  Kerry had the feeling that her and Vivien’s plans weren’t all that was included in that discussion. “What was it you wanted to tell me?” she asked.

  Hilary leaned back in her chair, studying her friend. “Remember our big speech in college, in the women’s studies class?”


  “How could I forget that? It didn’t go over well with everyone.” They’d probably been lucky that internet-shaming hadn’t been a thing back then. Even so, while the teacher and most of their classmates had seen their project for what it was, a utopia, an idea of an alternative world, there had been some heated discussions and even a few hate letters in the wake of their presentation.

  “The truth never does,” Hilary said emphatically. “That doesn’t mean we should stop speaking it. This was always meant to be a process over a few years, but with Miller winning the election…We need to start. We aren’t getting any younger, and there’s a lot of work to do.”

  “Wait.” Kerry shook her head, her laugh uncertain. She wasn’t sure how to take this. “That was a school project.”

  “Yes, and we’re not in school anymore. We have a responsibility, for the people and the causes we care about.”

  “But…” Kerry didn’t know how to voice her thoughts. She had expected some commiserating, and that Marc and Hilary would want to meet with Vivien’s employer soon to discuss future fundraisers. On their girls’ night out, they reminisced about the good old times. They shared each other’s news, good and bad, a wine Kerry could never afford on a regular basis, hugs if necessary. Hilary had never before brought up the school paper as a realistic option. Kerry shook her head again, this time to herself. She had responsibilities indeed, a partner, hopefully soon a child, and not to forget the mortgage for the house they’d moved into half a year ago.

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “I want to show you something.” Hilary was just warming to the subject, Kerry realized. What did that mean? She couldn’t be serious.

  “Marc and I bought some property…that was actually years ago, when we started expanding into renewable energy sources. Some of the framework is in place, but we need to build more of the infrastructure, and we need employees.”

  “I don’t understand a thing you’re saying,” Kerry confessed.

  “Slow down on the wine. I wanted you mellow, not drunk.”

  They both laughed, before Hilary continued, serious now.

  “We can do it; I know we can. Marc and I sat down with the financial staff.”

  Kerry couldn’t suppress the smile. She and Vivien had Vivien’s sister, an accountant, come over to do their taxes. Hilary and Marc had a financial staff.

  “You know we gave it everything we could, with the governor’s race, and of course we won’t stop supporting the groups that rely on us here, like Vivien’s folks. However, there’s a limit to what we can achieve here, with the laws and everything that will happen from now on. We are going to California.” Hilary didn’t give her any time to absorb the news.

  “It’s not just a move, or starting over for our family. What we want in the long run, is a new community model, and I know with a little more focus than before, we can make it. You and I worked out some details long ago in that paper.”

  “Where in California?” The more she heard about them, the less Kerry liked Hilary’s plans. Some of her reasons were selfish. She’d see even less of Hilary, and she couldn’t accept trips to California on a regular basis, even though there was no doubt Hilary and Marc would be willing to offer. It was a daydream, the prospects they’d drawn in that paper, changing the world to a place where all men and women were true equals and able to live a life of their choice. Maybe she’d had indeed too much wine, but she couldn’t figure out how Hilary and Marc would be able to make that happen, even given their, for people like Kerry and Vivien unimaginable, wealth. They weren’t poor, not by a long shot—but the Greenes lived in another galaxy when it came to bank accounts.

  “Okay,” she continued before Hilary could answer her question. “I see how you prefer to change the setting, and I’m sure the weather played into your consideration, but…why California, and how is this going to impact anyone beyond your usual involvement?”

  “Now you’re talking,” Hilary said, pleased. “First of all, California is as good as it gets at the moment. We have several locations on our mind. We’ve been collaborating with the locals on all our projects, building and otherwise. They’ve been extremely helpful. Never mind that I’d be happy to go and do this on another planet, start from scratch, but not even Marc and I have that kind of money. Besides, we still love our country, not to mention, this planet, enough to give this a shot. As for the specifics—we are going to look at our employees, those who want to, and are able to make the move. Didn’t I mention that before? Of course we want you and Vivien to come. I thought that went without saying. You and I had this vision together.”

  “What?”

  “No more patriarchy and rape culture,” Hilary reminded her. “We might not be able to change the world in a heartbeat, but we start with one community, grow from there, and we invite everyone to come who has had enough of Miller and his cronies.”

  “I don’t—”

  “We give them jobs. We help them start their own businesses, so they can hire people in return. We’ll still need the police, and smart folks with organizational talents, so it’s not completely unselfish to have you and Vivien come.”

  “You talked this through with Governor King?” Kerry asked, the sarcasm in her tone not quite matching her inner turmoil. This was impossible. It was something they’d dreamed about as college students, long before reality started hitting them in the face. “I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to learn you plan on invading her state.”

  “It’s not invading,” Hilary scolded. “We make use of land and facilities we already own. Marc and I are not planning on acting like monarchy over there. We get things rolling. It works out, that’s going to put some pressure on folks like Miller and his kind in other states.”

  “You can’t do this. I don’t care how much money you and Marc have to throw around. You know! You’ve been supporting charities around the world, and nationally, and you know how little of a dent even you make. People don’t care, they don’t vote, they don’t get involved, nothing’s going to change.”

  Hilary waited her little rant out. “You’re kind of proving my point. Besides, we’re not going to be alone.”

  This time, it was Kerry who refilled their glasses, and without asking, Hilary got up to get the bottle of champagne from the fridge. Kerry wasn’t so sure anymore they had much to celebrate.

  “You don’t know what you’re asking. You might be able to do this for a while, as an experiment. You lose some money in the process, it’s not so bad, because you gain it elsewhere. This is not my life, this is not the life Vivien and I have. We just bought a house!” She got up, carrying her glass to the window. Even at night, the city was still buzzing, the headlights of many cars pinpoints of red and orange. Buildings, cars, everything seemed so small from up here.

  “I know that.” Hilary had followed her. “You’re trying hard, both of you. Yet, you’re being punished. Come with us. It’s safer. You could get married…and don’t tell me you don’t want to.”

  Kerry considered that idea for a moment, something within reach and yet too good to be true. Frankly, she was tired of the argument. She and Vivien had been together for over ten years, supporting each other through death of parents, job scares, sharing joy and sorrow—only to have a balding man in an ill-fitting suit, the new governor Chad Miller, tell them their love wasn’t good enough, and somehow, sick and twisted. Whether he actually believed that or was simply pandering to a delusional section of his electorate was of little relevance. She loathed him, but she didn’t think it was right to give him the power to chase them from their home.

  “I want to, but now is not the time. We have thought about getting married elsewhere, and if you really go through with all of this, California looks like a good option. Although it makes me sick to think of what red tape we’d have to go through here. As you know, we still got a ban here.”

  “One that is being challenged. You could wait, or join us in a place where we have more options to help change along, from
the inside out.”

  Kerry turned to her longtime friend. Hilary was dead serious, a realization that both frightened and excited her. It was impossible. Kerry might be good at being pragmatic and rational. That didn’t mean she wanted to tackle all the paperwork it would mean to sell a house they’d just bought. She’d had enough nightmares involving the bank, contractors and insurance companies.

  “We can’t.”

  “Well, I’m sorry to inform you it’s not just about you.” Hilary took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Redirect. What I mean is, while Miller and his crew are celebrating their victory, a lot of people are already suffering from his irresponsible decisions.”

  “I know, but—”

  “Women are not safe! You see it every day at work, and I’m sure Vivien brings lots of those stories home, because that’s what you do in that job. You can’t help but bring them home, because no matter how privileged you are yourself, they do concern you, and you know it.”

  Kerry was silent. She understood the point Hilary was trying to make, even though they hadn’t exactly started out from the same level.

  “Yes, I know you didn’t have all the opportunities I had, but you were able to apply for that scholarship, go to college, and choose a profession you wanted. You are not in danger of losing your job, or becoming homeless. You are not alone. You are privileged.”

  “I guess you’re right about that.” Hilary was right in many things, unfortunately. The problems weren’t hypothetical, they were right in their faces, every day, and they tended to bring those stories home. Between her and Vivien, and their friends, including Marc and Hilary, they had a safe, sane baseline of what was right and wrong.

  Kerry’s incentive was to get murderers and rapists off the streets, rather than help Miller jail women who failed to report a miscarriage. At some point, she might not have a choice. That daunting notion came on top of all the pitfalls of the status quo. She’d dealt with rapists whose relatives claimed the victim had been out to destroy their son’s, boyfriend’s or husband’s lives, and that somehow they were to blame instead of the perpetrator. From yesterday’s election results, it would only get worse. Miller strictly opposed all abortion rights, with no exceptions in case of rape. He hadn’t said it so clearly, but the subtext came through anyway. In the narrative that he and his companions had chosen for them, women couldn’t be trusted to tell the truth or make decisions.